


And Then There Was One

by Quillofthoth



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:27:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25510555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quillofthoth/pseuds/Quillofthoth
Summary: In the wake of Ben’s death, the umbrella academy becomes unraveled, each making choices that will define the rest of their life.First chapter Klaus’s POVSecond chapter Diego’s POVThird chapter Vanya’s POVFourth chapter Allison’s POV
Relationships: Allison Hargreeves/Luther Hargreeves
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Klaus

There was blood. And screams and a horrible mess. Luther trying to get them all back in order. Trying to get the rest of them out alive. Klaus closed his eyes. He was lying on his bedroom floor . The familiar smell of weed and other drugs had reached him through his haze, he could feel the carpet pressing into his cheek. He was unsure how he got there. Luther had probably carried him, he didn’t care.  
He reached over, pulled a bag out of the pocket of one of his uniforms lying on the floor. Was starting to open it when a voice behind him spoke. “Really? What a way to celebrate my death.”

He didn’t want to look, didn’t want to see. But he knew he had too. He forced something similar to a laugh out of his throat. “Wasn’t trying to celebrate. Just forget.” He looked. His brother looked the same as he had that morning, save the blood covering the side of his head. The death had been fast, there was that at least, he could look worse. “Not really a cause for celebration.” He waved his hands around feebly, poured the pills into his hand.

“Come on, Klaus, if I can’t talk to you, I can’t talk to anyone.” Ben said

Klaus shrugged “It’s not my problem.” His voice caught, choked. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t talk to him. He was dead, gone, and right there in front of him. He laughed. Wild, crazed laughter coming out of his throat. It didn’t sound like him.

“What are you doing here Ben? Isn’t there somewhere….to go?” He waved his hand “A great beyond or something? I don't know.” He sighed, put his head back on the floor. Staring at the ceiling instead of his brother….his dead brother. But what did it matter if his brother was dead? He was right here. But there was still a sense of wrongness about all this. He blinked “....What are you doing here Ben, Benny Boy, Benno?”  
Ben shifted “I wanted to die. I’ve wanted to for years. I’ve….thought about ending it….so many times. But then...it happened, and I didn’t want it to. I was afraid. I don’t know it...it wasn’t my decision quite, I don’t think? I don’t remember….anything solid, any conversation or anything….I just thought of you. Thought of your power. Thought….I could stay with you.”  
“You never liked me when you were alive.” Klaus said. It wasn’t quite true. Ben was always as good to him as the others were, sometimes better. Better than Diego and his rages. Better than Vanya and her strange silence, her watching eyes. At least as good as Luther, Luther tended to take care of him if he drank too much or took too many meds. Ben wouldn’t tell him to go away unless he was pestering him when he was reading. Allison was the best though, the only one who really treated him like a friend, like as much as an equal as she treated anyone.  
“I liked you just fine….I had a hard time with everyone…that’s what happens when you are always wondering if you would be better off dead...well...at least I don’t need to pick anymore.”  
Klaus laughed, the sound still sounding strange. “Always the silver lining. What are you going to do? Follow me around forever?”  
“What else is there to do?”  
Klaus shook his head. “Nothing I suppose. But….aren’t I too high to see you? I don’t see anyone else around here. I’m high. High as a kite. So what are you doing here?”  
“You tell me, it’s your powers.”  
“I’ve never understood them. I just want them to go away.”  
Ben laughs “Tell me about it….tell me about it.”

They were silent for a while. Wondering about what this death looked like for them. Ben was trying to wrap his mind around everything he lost, and if he was even upset about it. Klaus was trying to imagine the horrible thought of losing himself.  
He imagined walking out of the room. Going to Luther, telling him that Ben was here, and of Luther, from that point on. Always making sure he knew what Ben thought about EVERYTHING, in his never ending, unyielding fairness.  
He imagined going to Allison, telling her, and maybe she wouldn’t let him use her clothes anymore. Wouldn’t let him in her room to paint nails and gossip about cute boys they had seen at one of the outings their father dragged them on (she was the only sibling he had told he liked guys to, and in turn, he was the only sibling she had told about her feelings for Luther.) but if Ben was with him… would she still want to gossip with him? He didn’t think so, and that was crushing.  
Diego and Vanya too… they would probably want to talk to Ben… it’s not like they often wanted to talk to him anyway. But… who would he be? If he was always telling people what Ben said, what Ben wanted, what Ben thought. He felt a lump forming in this throat, how horrible was he? That he didn’t want his brother to be here? Of course he wanted his brother… but what was the price? Himself? Could he pay it? How could he not?  
It was, to his surprise, that Ben finally spoke, as though reading his mind “I don’t think you should tell them.”  
He choked “What? They will want to know.”  
Ben sighed, “I know...I mean, I don’t want you to tell them.”  
“Why?”  
“Because… I want it to be over Klaus, I can’t deal with this anymore. I don’t….I don’t want to have to… to live anymore Klaus. I don’t want to talk to them. I don’t want to look at them looking around the room for me when they won’t even see me… I want them to move on. It will be easier right? If they do it like everyone else does? To think I’m just gone entirely?”  
Klaus nodded. Feeling relief flood him, but also, reluctance. But before he could find words Ben spoke again.  
“Anyway. If you tell them, Dad will know. And… he’ll do something I’m sure of it. Try to… get me back somehow… or something, and that will fall on you Klaus. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.” Fear cutched at Klaus like nothing else since Ben had appeared, memories, cold. Dark. Screams. Ben’s voice calling him cut through the memories. And he breathed again. “Yeah…yeah… I guess we shouldn’t tell them then.”  
Ben nodded, seeming almost as relieved as Klaus felt. But then, he heard many footsteps. You could always count on Luther to have the worst timing. And the heavy thump of steps in the lead could be no one else’s. Klaus looked at the pills in his hand, still unswallowed. “Show time, I guess.”  
Ben gave him a sympathetic look, but said nothing.  
Luther knocked. Loudly, but not rudely. Klaus sighed. “Come in.” Luther opened the door, followed closely by Allison, Diego, and in the back, in her strange way, Vanya followed them in. Luther had changed back into his school uniforms like they were meant to do when a mission was over, but he was the only one. Allison and Diego were both in the dirty, and mildly bloody jumpsuits. Vanya of course, had never had one on it the first place. They all wore matching expressions of shock and sadness and desperation.  
Luther looked relieved “Good, Klaus, you’re awake.”  
Klaus chuckled. “Haven’t overdosed quite yet.” He held up the pills in his hand. “Working on it, don’t worry.”  
“Y-you c-c-can’t p-put t-that-“ Diego stuttered, he cut off. Turning away in shame. Unable to bear his speech failing him now.  
Luther glanced at him but had the courtesy to look away back at Klaus. “Look Klaus, we need you. We were thinking and we realized, if you just get sober. You can talk to him.”  
He looked at them, their eager, desperate faces. And he looked at Ben. Wondering if this was the right call. But Ben nodded at him, in the strange coldness he usually saved for missions. He looked back to the rest of their siblings “Sober? Now? Sober is the last thing I want to be.”  
“Klaus, we know. We know it’s hard but… this is Ben we are talking about. We have to talk to him again,” said Allison.  
Klaus laughed. The strange demenented laugh that seemed to have found him since Ben died. Diego stepped towards him, seeming to decide that if he couldn’t talk sense into Klaus, he would beat it into him. Luther’s hand went out without thought to stop him.  
Luther spoke, pleading, although trying to keep it out of his voice. “Klaus, we have already lost Five. I know… I know you struggle with the ghosts, but Dad believes you can get past this.”  
Vanya spoke for the first time “Ben… we need him.”  
Diego tried again to speak. “H-he’s o-ou-our b-bro-brother-“ again he gave up. But this time he slumped to the ground, defeated, like nothing else could defeat him, by his own voice.  
“Klaus. Come on.”said Luther. He moved forwards to take the pills away. And Klaus, barely knowing what he was doing, swallowed the whole handful. Luther froze. Anger clear in every inch of his face “How can you be so selfish?” He asked. And Klaus wished, like the ghosts, the pills would make them go away, because he was selfish, this wasn’t about Ben and Ben’s wishes, this was his desire to not be lost. Lost in Ben.  
He watched them leave. They had lost, there was no point in them staying anymore. Luther gathered them all and shoed them out. Diego only moved when Luther made a move as though to pick him up, at which point he leapt to his feet and left the room without looking back. Klaus laid back on the floor, staring up. Wondering what he should feel? Guilt? He mostly felt relief. And a desire to get raging high. He decided to break into his father’s alcohol cabinet. Drunk would be a good start. He got up and walked out of the room. Noticing as he did so, that Ben followed him.He understood the prison he had unwittingly created, Ben was tied to him now. He really needed that drink.


	2. Diego

Diego attacked Luther, screaming, not caring if he could hurt him or not. Luther blocked him, mutely, impassive. Diego hated him, he hated him standing there, defending their father. “He let him die! He would let us all die! You want to go next?” He hated how stupid Luther was, defending him, did he want to spend the rest of his life doing dirty work for their father? 

“Or maybe it’s your fault he’s dead? Maybe if you haven’t let us go-“ Luther swung and Diego ducked, grinning. He hated it when Luther wouldn’t fight back. When he tried to say Diego wasn’t thinking straight. He wanted a fight. It was just a matter getting Luther ticked enough to fight back. 

He dodged and weaved, one punch and it would be over. But he was faster than Luther. And he threw his knives, never to kill. But to slice his arms, his ear. Every drop of blood that fell from Luther filling him with pride. It ended of course, as it always did, with Luther getting in a punch. He had almost dodged, but he felt pain in his arm and knew he was a second too late. He fell to the ground holding his arm. Growling but unable to keep fighting. 

Luther stared at him. Anger gone as quickly as it had appeared. He half reached out a hand but stopped. Whether because Diego would have put a knife in his heart, or because he didn’t want to touch him, Diego didn’t know. But Luther turned away “I’ll get Mom.” 

“You do that, you great idiot!” Diego yelled at him. But Luther ignored him and walked away. 

Mom finished resetting his arm with a smile. “You silly boys shouldn’t fight. You’re lucky it was only dislocated, your father would be mad if you messed it up for the picture tonight.”

Diego smiled up at her. “I don’t care what he wants.”

She shook her head “Be careful dear.”

He glared. “ What picture anyway?” 

“The new family portrait of course.”

Diego froze, it’s not like he should be surprised. They had done one a few weeks after five had vanished...but..this was Ben. And he was dead, there was no maybes...to just pretend he had never been. His fist curled. He wished he could punch dad in his ugly nose. He didn’t even want to know what Luther would say about this. 

It was like a light bulb went off in his brain at that moment, he was going to leave. He was going to ditch this big, old empty house full of nothing but bad memories. 

He looked up. His mother was looking down at him with her smile. But her eyes, they had that old sadness in them. “I’m going to leave, Mom.”

She nodded “well, seems like you’re all grown up, you silly boy.” 

“You should come with me.”

“Your father doesn’t let me leave the house, you know that.”

“Who cares what he says? Doesn’t that make you mad?” 

She only shook her head. “You should get ready for the portrait tonight, Diego.” She walked out of the room. He stared off after her. Wanting to punch something. He kicked the wall, thinking of finding Luther again. But he could only imagine what his mother would say if he actually broke something this time. 

Sitting for the portrait was horrible. Diego thought about breaking the artist's brush. But, hate to admit it as he did….he was too afraid of their father's punishment. He thought back to Five, little brat that he was, he didn’t take their Father’s crap...of course, that was what had got him killed. Diego growled slightly. 

Klaus didn’t turn his head. He didn’t want to know how high he was, Klaus had been worse then usually since Ben died, selfish brat. He had disappeared for a few days one time, but most nights he showed up back here, just for Luther to wrestle him into bed. Luther was behind Diego. He had felt the slight nudge when he growled, the ‘reminder’ from the perfect son, the perfect number one to behave. He almost turned around just to attack him here. He half smiled at the thought. Let the painter paint that, it would be a more accurate view of their perfect family. 

Maybe his siblings realized something was up with him. They watched him more. Maybe it was just that he was leaving at night. His father could go to Hell with those awful wires he attached to them while they slept. He was done with that crap. He started handing applications in at every job he could find, Cashier, Janitor, Gas Stations. Anger almost bursting out of him every time he signed the dreaded ‘two’. He didn’t care what job he got. He just wanted out. Anything had to be better than here. It wasn’t the hero work he had a problem with, who knows, he might even kept doing it, no one would be able to tell him he couldn’t. He would be out, free, done. 

Sometimes his siblings tried to talk to him about it, or Allison did anyway. Wanted to make sure he was ‘Okay’ he laughed in her face, walked away. “Quit Dreaming, wake up and smell the roses or you'll be next Allison.” He didn’t look behind him. Wasn’t interested in her sad face. She could go cry to Luther. He was done. Done with all of them. 

And then, one night. After an interview. He got a job. Cashier in some twenty four hour junk place. Perfect, he could sleep in the homeless shelter for a couple of weeks until he got enough money to hopefully rent a place, he didn’t care. He was gone. He wanted to leave, not tell them, not explain himself. But he couldn’t...not after Ben. 

So he called them all to his room the same night. Klaus showed up first. Laying down on Diego’s own bed. He didn’t care. He might not even need it. He wasn’t sure if Klaus was even sober enough to know who’s room he was in. He was in one of Allison’s skirts again. Weirdo. Muttering under his breath, eyes closed as he lay on Diego’s bed. 

Vanya came in next, took a chair next to the door. Watching, silent, she was almost as weird as Klaus. 

Finally Luther and Allison came in together, not looking at each other. Must be fighting. Diego paced the room, turning to look at them all. “I’m out.”

Klaus looked up “Of drugs?” No one answered him, or spared him more than a glance. He laid his head back down, pulling Diego’s blanket over his head. 

“What do you mean?” Luther asked him. 

“I mean, I’m leaving. Gone. Got a job and I’m ditching this dump.”

“A job?” Luther asked, confused. 

Diego snorted “It’s this thing adults have Luther.” 

Luther glared. 

“What job?” Asked Allison 

“That’s not im-mportant.”

They eyed him. Knowing from his stupid, stupid, stutter that he was hiding something. It’s not like he cared if he was a Cashier, he was just sure that perfect Luther would think he could do better. Like perfect Luther could even hold down a job, like precious daddy would even let him. 

“You’re not an adult. You’re seventeen,” said Luther. 

“Same difference!”

They stared at each other. Diego looked away. Vanya was staring at him too. Creepy. Like it was the first time she had seen him. Ugh. He looked at Allison, she looked understanding. He wished she didn’t, why had he even told them. Ugh. He should have just left. “Alright! Out!” He yelled at them. They jumped, Allison glared at him. “Be polite, or I’ll make you.” 

Usually this was an empty threat. But if she was this ticked he couldn’t be sure. He just pointed at the door, and slowly Allison, and then Vanya left. Luther stayed, looking at him. 

“What do you want, Number One?”

“Don’t call me that.”

They glared at each other. Luther nodded at Klaus still on the bed “Let’s talk outside.”

Diego nodded, too curious to help himself. What did the perfect son want to tell him?

He walked into the hallway with Luther, Luther was looking up at the cameras. Diego watched him, waiting for him to find the words he was looking for, Loath as he was to admit it. They had always struggled with words, they shared that. Diego’s stutter prevented him from saying what he wanted. Luther just never seemed to know what to say. He spent too much time talking for others, saying what his father told him to say, what was scripted to say. When it came to finding his own words. His own thoughts. He had trouble. 

Diego watched him collect his thoughts. 

“You don’t have to leave.”

“Yeah, I do.”

Luther furrowed his brow. Staring at him. “Don’t.”

Diego laughed. “ You could try leaving yourself.” 

“No.”

“Did Dad tell you to say that?”

“No.”

“Sure.”

“He didn’t, of course he didn’t. He would never talk to me about the possibility of leaving...because it’s not a possibility.”

“Of course it is, you idiot. I’m doing it.”

“That’s different.”

Diego snarled. “It’s not different, if I can do it, Perfect Number one should be able to.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“What? You’re perfect number one aren’t you? That’s exactly what you are? You aren’t going to disobey dad. You aren’t going to risk losing your title. Just admit you're a coward.”

“Don’t.”

“Or what?”

They stared at each other. Both knowing they were seconds from fists flying, which was where Diego liked being with Luther. But both stopped. Something different this time. Wrong. Luther turned away “Goodbye, Diego. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” There was nothing else to say. Luther walked back to his bedroom. Diego to his. Sitting down on his bed, which let out a squeal. Diego rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot Klaus, get out of my bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be in Vanya’s point of view. Tell me what you think so far!


	3. Vanya

Vanya closed her single suitcase. She carefully laid her violin in its case. She closed that. She looked around the bare room. The dresser, and bed made out of habit with military precision. Standing alone of items she cared for was her music stand, it was the only thing she had been unable to fit in the case. She had left one of her least favorite pieces on it, just so it didn’t look so lonely. She had never had much, she had never been given much.

  
Her siblings would get treats now and then, Luther and Allison most of all, gifts were given to them at the slightest turn, model airplanes and rockets for Luther, who liked the idea of travel. She knew they were for him to practice his fine motor skills, that his strength so hindered, Dad had told her that as he was considering what one to get him next. Allison was all bracelets and dresses, trinkets to appease his most dangerous child. But never anything for the ordinary one, she looked around the room. The empty bed, the machine next to it to track her brainwaves. She had never understood why she needed it, surely there was nothing interesting to see in her sleep. Not like her siblings, but Dad had almost smiled when she had asked, at ten years old, why he watched her sleep, “I need to have the ordinary data to know the extraordinary, Number Seven.” Her stomach twisted just remembering.

  
She finished looking around the room. Looked at the one suitcase, given to her by Pogo after Dad had told him to get the children suitcases, although she had no need of it, he had made sure she got one. It was only a few years old, but old fashioned, and never used until now. She also had her violin case, which was very old, but maintained so well she did not know its exact age. She felt her coat’s pocket. She had stolen a few hundred dollars from Dad earlier in the day when he wasn’t looking. She was supposed to be recording her siblings new running speeds next to the ones from last week. Dad had gotten up, walked out of the room to check on her siblings. She felt no guilt, she deserved something after seventeen years under this miserable roof.

  
She walked out the door, a feeling of exhilaration filling her. She was going to be out of this place, where was she going to go? She didn’t know, but she didn’t care. She walked down the hall. “Vanya? Are you going somewhere?” She looked towards the sound, and saw Allison standing between the door to Luther’s room and her own. Their eyes met for a second. She noticed the tears that Allison had tried to brush away. And then Allison’s eyes widened with understanding. “You’re leaving.”

  
Vanya nodded. Allison stepped forward “Good for you.”

  
Vanya was surprised by the compliment, so rarely they came. “Thanks.”

  
“I don’t know if I can.” Allison said, with a slight hesitation.

  
“Of course you can, Diego did.” Vanya cursed herself internally for not thinking of it before Diego had announced his plan. She supposed it was another sign that she was nothing special, and could never be, but maybe, just maybe, outside these walls she could be.  
Allison shook her head “It’s not that simple.” They both looked at Luther’s closed door for a second. Vanya shook her head “If you want to leave, just leave.”

  
Allison looked at her and nodded slightly. “Good luck, Vanya.”

  
“Thanks. You too.”

  
Allison nodded looking torn for a second before stepping forwards and pulling Vanya into a hug. Vanya froze, surprised by the action, it had been years since any of her siblings had hugged her. But she slowly wrapped her arms around Allison, holding her in an awkward hug, the things Vanya was carrying getting it the way. They broke apart. “Good luck.” Allison said again.

  
“You too.” Vanya repeated. She looked at Allison for a moment longer, and then walked down the hall. Down the stairs, and out the hall into the vestibule, she turned her head at the sight of a moving shadow, but decided she must have imagined it, she was almost to the door when she noticed something on the floor, she leaned down and picked up a photo of herself. She looked around again, it was empty. The picture was from when she was around twelve, the only photo of her at all, unlike the millions of her siblings. She smiled to herself. “Thanks, Pogo.” She whispered as she walked out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoped everyone enjoyed Vanya’s point of view, next will be Allison. Please review.


	4. Allison

Allison stood in the door of Luther’s room, watching the muscles ripple under his skin, in the endless cycle of push ups that seemed to have consumed him since Ben’s death.

“Come on, Luther, please talk to me.”

“We have nothing to talk about.”

“I’m going to leave.” 

He stopped, sat up, crossed his arms. Stared at her. “Without me?”

“I’ve been begging you to come with me for months now! And I’ll beg again. We can go anywhere we want. Do anything we want. Nothing can get in our way. Not Dad, not anyone. If you come with me…..we can have everything. We can have each other.”

He looked away. “Dad says that’s not allowed.” 

“Dad won’t have a say.” 

“I can’t just disobey him.”

“Will you stop-“ she cut herself off. She couldn’t say that. She couldn’t tell him he sounded like mom. Like some programmed robot that choked out built in responses. 

“I know you want to come.” She tried again. 

He looked at the floor. Not saying anything. He reached over and picked up one of the weights sitting in a pile. He started doing curls still not looking at her. Anger was boiling in her at him. But despite that she couldn’t stop loving him. 

“Luther, if we leave….he can’t touch us again.” 

He continued looking away. Lifting his weight in his hand. She silently counted with him as he went through his repetitions. She knew it was his comfort. She also knew it was his self inflicted punishment, pushing himself to be stronger, he had done it more and more after each sibling had left, since Five. 

“I can’t leave, Allison.” Another repeated line. It hit like a knife. 

“You could if you just did.” 

He finally looked at her, nothing but hurt on his face. “Where will you go?”

“Hollywood.” 

“...that’s still your plan then? That’s...great.” 

“You don’t have to encourage me...I just wished you would come.”

“You’ll be great Allison. Remember those plays you used to put on with Klaus? You were great in them.” 

She sat down next to him. Feeling like they were thirteen hiding on the roof. “I was wasn’t I?” 

“Yeah, you were.” He was staring at her, hopeless longing in his eyes. 

“ You could come, write if you wanted. Work on your poems.”

He blushed, “They are horrible.”

“I think they are sweet.”

“The world needs me, Allison. The world needs to be saved.”

“It’s not your job to save it.”

“That’s exactly what my job is. I can’t leave that.”

“I can.”

“I know.”

They were staring into each other’s eyes now. Allison closed the space between them, kissing him. He returned it. It was slower than their kisses before now, which had always felt rushed, guilty, like they were waiting for someone to walk in. Like they only had seconds. With this kiss it no longer mattered, most of the people who could have once walked in were gone. It was their last chance to hold each other, last chance to show each other how they felt. 

They finally broke apart, still holding eye contact with each other. Luther spoke first “ You’re packing tonight?”

“Yes….I figured I would head out tomorrow….after I say goodbye to everyone.”

He nodded. 

“Luther.” Allison reached up, guilt seizing her, but it was her last chance. She took the clasp of her necklace that she had worn since she was thirteen. “If you don’t come with me. I’m going to find someone else. I’m going to be with someone else.”

But Luther’s expression hardly changed. “I know.” He said, as if it was that simple. And Allison wondered if it was. She unclamped the necklace. Looking down at the small golden heart in her hand. They both stared at it, and at each other, for a long moment. Then Allison stood up, walked to the door. Looked at him continuing to sit, watching her. She wanted to say something to him. Anything. Explain why she had to leave. “I just want to forget this place ever existed, Luther” 

He nodded. Not bothering to mask the hurt. She supposed their Father’s torture went far enough to make that a crime. She turned and left. Walking into her own room, dropping the necklace on her dresser. She left again. Knocked on Klaus’s door, pushed it open, but he wasn’t there. He was probably at some guy’s home after a rave, she thought to herself. But on a whim, she opened his bedside table drawer, she knew he didn’t keep any real drugs in there, but there was a box of cigarettes. She took it back to her room. She lit one, and waited to see if Luther would come in, and tell her off like normal. He didn’t. 

She put out the cigarette when she was done, and laid down on her bed. She cried herself to sleep again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter with be in Luther’s POV   
> And then my next work I’m thinking about writing is about if luther and Vanya landed together so let me know if you are interested in reading that! Thanks for reading!


	5. Number One

Luther stood in the window, watching her leave. She put a couple of suitcases in her taxi, Luther knew that she hadn’t taken money, didn’t have a job. She didn’t need any of that. She leaned close to the taxi’s driver and the familiar glaze went over his eyes. Luther couldn’t see it from this far way. But he still knew. She looked back to his window, and then she got in the taxi. He watched her disappear, his heart seemed to be broken. There was a strange empty feeling in his chest. He walked out of his room. It was almost lunch time. It was strange, Diego and Vanya had both vanished in the middle of the night, gone at breakfast and his father had never mentioned it again, just like he had never mentioned Five again, the portrait had just appeared about two weeks after Five had left.   
So he went to lunch, stood behind his chair waiting for his father to come in. He stood behind his chair. His father never came in. He stood there, rigid, trying not to feel anything. He waited, surely his father would come, surely Klaus would come… Or maybe he wouldn’t, maybe he was gone too, he hadn’t seen him in five days, maybe he wasn’t coming back either. Luther stood there for three hours, trying not to turn his head, but he kept on looking, hoping his Dad or Klaus would come in.   
Finally Pogo came into the room. “Master Luther, your father is not coming to Lunch, you may go.”   
Luther nodded. “Thank you, Sir.”  
Pogo nodded, watching him with his sad eyes. Luther walked away. Unsure where to go, Pogo had not given him an instruction, only told him to go. His father was not coming to oversee training. Pogo had not told him his father’s orders. For one insane second he thought about calling a taxi and following Allison. He went to Klaus’s room on the off chance his brother had come home, he wasn’t there, he could be in the bathroom, taking one of his three hour long baths, but he would come back here if he was. Luther should stay, he should tell his brother when he got back that Allison was gone. He began doing push ups on his brother’s floor. Wishing his brother would come back.   
Finally his arms were aching and hardly able to hold him up anymore, it was dark outside and had long been. He fell asleep on Klaus’s floor, hoping he would wake up to his brother tripping over him.   
He didn’t, he woke up on the floor with the sun shining through the windows. He looked up at his brother’s bed, but it was still empty and untouched.   
He went down to breakfast, this time he only stood waiting for fifteen minutes before Pogo appeared and told him to take his breakfast in the kitchen with Grace, his father was taking his breakfast in his study.   
He went to the kitchen, Grace served him a plate of food. He ate it Mechanically. Was his father going to come out to train him?   
He went to his lessons, Pogo arrived to teach them. After a couple of hours, Luther finally worked up the courage to ask his question. “Why isn’t Dad here?”  
“Your Father is busy today.”  
A lump formed in Luther’s throat. Busy. He had never been too busy for their lessons before. But he was busy. Pogo had said. Luther had to believe, he must have some work to do, maybe because of his siblings leaving. He threw his energy back into his lessons. 

It was three days later when Klaus finally showed up, wearing nothing but a skirt, sopping wet, and almost falling over walking into Luther’s room.   
He giggled “Brother! How are you?”  
Luther unattached the wires from his head, hoping his father wouldn’t be mad at him. But his father hadn’t spoken to him since Allison had left, and his brother was finally back, and it was just as important to tell him about Allison leaving. Right?   
“I’m good, Klaus. How are you?”  
Klaus giggled again “I’m so great! It’s raining, and the guy that I thought I was leaving with picked up another guy at the last moment.”   
“Were you wearing that skirt out there? That’s dangerous. Someone could...take advantage of you.” He had heard Allison tell him that before, she usually dealt with more of Klaus’s emotions than he did, he was better at physically taking care of his siblings.   
“That’s kinda the idea.” Klaus smiled at him. And Luther chose not to think about his words too much, he didn’t like anything they could mean. Luther crossed to Klaus and put a hand on his arm to steady him. He was cold. He must have been out in the rain for a while.   
“You should take a hot bath.”   
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” Klaus waved his hand. Luther lifted him gently, he didn’t fight, just laughed and leaned into him. “You’re warm.”  
“You’re getting my shirt wet.” Luther said, but there was no malice. He was just happy he had finally come back.   
He carried him to the bathroom, set him down and turned on the tap for him. Trying to guess the right temperature, it was hard for him to know, with this tough skin, what was right for those without his strength, but he had gotten pretty good at it since Klaus had gotten higher and had often needed reminders that it was their scheduled cleaning time.   
He felt the water go over his hand and knew he was delaying the inevitable, he would have to tell him about Allison leaving. She and Klaus had been almost as close as he had been with her… he was sure he wouldn’t take it well. He looked at Klaus, who was staring off into the air and laughing again as though he had just heard a great joke… maybe he wasn’t capable of feeling anything right now.   
“Klaus is this cool enough? Klaus!”  
Klaus looked over, and half crawled over. Sticking his arm in up to his elbow. “Yeah, that’s good.”   
Luther felt a small sense of pride that he had managed to get something right. “Good. Jump in then. Don’t get your clothes more wet.”  
Klaus waved a hand over himself. “Kinda hard to do, Cap.”  
Luther didn’t respond. He hadn’t really thought that out before saying that. He watched Klaus strip and get in the tub. Checking his brother over for injuries, but there was nothing other than a couple of bruises that he could have gotten anywhere.   
Klaus didn’t say anything for a quarter hour. Finally he looked over “What are you still doing here?”  
Luther realized he usually left Klaus alone while he bathed, and this was strange behavior. He just had been relieved to see him again. “Allison left.” He said finally.   
Klaus stared at him for a minute. “That would do it.” He pulled his jacket over, and pulled two cigarettes and a lighter out, offering one to Luther. Luther shook his head “ Dad says we aren’t allowed to smoke.”   
Klaus snorted “Fine.” He threw one back on his jacket and lit his.   
“Dad says you aren’t allowed to do that.” Luther said again. But Klaus ignored him.   
Luther could take the cigarette away, on any other day he probably would have. But he just watched his brother instead. Finally Klaus looked at him “ Dad told you you weren’t allowed to leave then? Told you you couldn’t run off and marry Allison? You aren’t allowed to do that too? Dad said so right?”  
Luther ignored the stab. But it hurt. He blocked his mind against any unwanted images of himself marrying Allison that tried to enter. He stared at Klaus. “When was the last time you ate?”  
“When was the last time you thought for yourself? Don’t tell me you stayed for little old me?”  
“I’ll make you a sandwich.” Luther said, getting up and leaving his brother. 

Klaus vanished again a couple of days later, their father saying nothing about his arrival or departure. They took their meals in the kitchen now, and Luther didn’t let himself wonder why that was. Pogo had taken over teaching their lessons, which Klaus had not attended one of, Luther didn’t push him. He was glad to have him to talk to at all. Pogo had a habit of letting him out of lessons early, so he would spend that time with Klaus. They were polar opposites and had always been, Klaus sought out attention and set things on fire for fun. Luther had always wished to stay out of the limelight. The interviews and parties that had been part of the umbrella academy, had always been painful and awkward for him. He had just stood close to Allison, letting her do the talking while smiling at people.   
But out of necessity, as the only two left, they now spent their time together. At first they talked about Allison, their mutual friend, as it gave them something to talk about. But it hurt Luther too much to talk about her for long. Klaus either figured that out, or it hurt him to talk about her as well, or something. Because they stopped talking about her, about any of their siblings, they pretended they didn’t exist.   
Klaus was always redecorating his room, sometimes it was something small he had brought from outside, sometimes it was a piece of furniture from somewhere else in the house, once he knocked down the whole wall between his and Vanya’s room because he felt like it. Luther helped him any way he could. He was taller than his brother, and much stronger, and was often able to take most of the work out of Klaus’s fancies.   
Luther would ask him questions about what he did outside the academy. Klaus would answer. Although Luther often felt like things were being kept from him. Like Klaus was deliberately leaving things out, and he didn’t know why.   
Klaus talked to himself more than he used to, Luther would walk in after being released from a training that had finished early. (As almost all of Pogo’s did) and see him talking to the air. Luther never asked him about it, he didn’t want him to leave as well. He never brought up Ben again for the same reason. He feared his brother deciding he was too annoying, deciding he was better off on the streets than with Luther trying to get him off drugs. Luther also knew that Klaus was having as hard as time coping with Ben’s death as well, so he didn’t bring him up. 

It was a couple of months before Klaus showed up, wearing his uniform for a mission. Luther was shocked to see him, he had been going on missions alone since Allison’s departure. Klaus was usually out when missions were called, and hadn’t turned up when he was around.   
“No.” Luther said, almost automatically, although he had never given it thought before now. Blocking him from going into their father’s office.   
Klaus blinked “What? I’m your backup.”  
“No, you aren’t. You’re a liability.”  
“I want to help you!”  
“No, you haven’t been going to lessons, you haven’t been practicing, and you’re drunk.”   
“I’m more than drunk.” Klaus said. Luther knew, he just didn’t like saying.   
“I should take care of you! You’re my brother! You’re going off! Into danger!” Klaus protested.   
“I need to take care of you. I’m Number One. You’re safer here, anyway, Dad only called me, he didn’t call you.”  
Klaus looked hurt, very hurt, but Luther didn’t let himself dwell on it, he was safer here. He couldn’t protect him by himself, and he wasn’t sober enough to be anything but a liability.   
Klaus had vanished by the time Luther got back from the mission, he didn’t see him again for almost a month, by that point he had wished he had brought him, sure he could have protected him and done the mission if he had just tried hard enough. 

Time continued to pass, a strange blur. Luther’s lessons grew shorter, and then stopped altogether. He found ways to train himself, keep himself fit for the next mission. It was practically the only time he ever saw his father, when receiving his orders for a mission or debriefing after a mission, and very, very rarely, he would see his father walking through the academy. His father would wave to him, and they would go sit under the oak in silence. They did not used to sit in silence, when he was younger his father would talk to him, tell him how to be a leader, but now they sat in silence, and his father barely seemed to know he was there. But at least he was there, at least there was still this.   
He talked to Pogo when Pogo wasn’t busy, about books and science and everything else, they talked about ideas and theories. Pogo was his favorite person to be around most of the time.   
He talked to Mom as well, but Mom still treated him like he was a child, and he no longer felt like a child, so it was difficult to be around her, so as much as he loved her, he rarely spent much time around her outside of meal times.   
Klaus, he sought out whenever he reappeared, he made sure he ate and warmed up and asked him for stories about what he did, but as the months and then years slipped by, he saw less and less of Klaus.   
He found himself talking to the statue of Ben every now and again, he wasn’t sure why, he just needed something to break up the lonely monotony of his days.   
Klaus hadn’t come back, he always counted the days he was gone, and became concerned when it went over two months, then three, four, six, eight...it had been over a year, when like everyday, he pushed opened the doors to his siblings rooms and no one was there, it clicked in his brain that this time, Klaus wasn’t coming back. No amount of hope would make him, his brother didn’t care to visit him anymore.   
He went down to breakfast, but rather than go to breakfast, he eyed the liquor cabinet. But he shook his head, Dad said he wasn’t allowed to drink. He got out a gallon of milk. He would raid the fridge later, eat until he puked, he grabbed his bike and rode around the living room.   
The intercom broke through his moping. Calling him on a mission, he leaned the bike against the wall, put the jug on the table. Changed and reported to his father. Something caught his attention as off this time though. And against logic he spoke.   
“You don’t have to call me by number anymore.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because I’m the only one left.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this work, this chapter is the final one. Sorry it took so long. I’ve been busy with other things. Please review!


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